From Queen to Dragon
by Tonnie
Summary: Everyone knows Maeve has been banished, but why would she want to come back? (PG13 for what Maeve says in ch 2 and the possession thing.) FINISHED, ALL U PEEPS!
1. Part 1

Part 1  
  
So, at last, Temra was defeated. Kells celebrated for four days and four nights with food, drinks, dances and so much more. Some of the former Temra soldiers joined Kells, while some joined Torc on his run FROM Kells. Although the Mystic Knights had no need to defeat the monsterous creatures Queen Maeve used to send to destroy them, they still hung out.  
Things were much more different than they thought it would be, and as the days went by, Rohan seemed to drift away from the others quietly. His mind seemed to be in a different world most of the time and he often spent his days alone.  
Finally, one day, the other four followed him and he told them of why he was acting the way he was.  
"I can't stand it," he said. "What am I supposed to do, now that Maeve is gone?"  
"You can continue with your druid training," Deirdre suggested.  
"What's the use?" he replied. "Maeve is my mother, and I know it was the right thing to do to take her off this island, and I know that she's gone and that's that, but I need to know more about my past. I want to find out who my father is."  
"That's going to be a pretty tough task," Angus said. "You can't just go around the entire island looking for one man to be your father."  
"It's ridiculous," Deirdre said.  
"It's impossible," said Ivar. "You'd best stay here."  
"Yeah, well what if I don't want to stay here?" Rohan's words pierced through his friends like knives. They stared at him in surprise at his come-back.  
Finally, they left him alone and didn't see him until the next morning. To their surprise his hair was messed up and dirty and his face was smudged and his clothes looked like he had slept in them. The others asked what had happened to him. He replied, "I spent the night out in the woods, thinking. And then I saw . . . I had a vision."  
"Of what?" they asked eagerly.  
"It---it made no sense." Rohan shook his head.  
"Welcome to druidism." Cathbad had just walked into the room. "I have visions all the time that don't make sense. Go on and describe this vision of yours."  
"Well," Rohan took his time to sit down, "it was all colors. No words."  
"That's odd," Deirdre said.  
Cathbad said, "I have heard of such visions. They are a way of speaking for type of dragon called wyrms. They give each other mental Sendings with colors as emotions and pictures to explain things."  
"How can they speak without words?" Garrett asked.  
"Some wyrms use words, depending on if their master taught them to."  
"But why would I get a vision from a dragon?" Rohan asked.  
"Maybe he's a relative of Pyre," Angus remarked. Ivar elbowed him in the ribs.  
"I don't think so," Cathbad said. "Rohan, tell me the type of colors there were in your vision."  
Rohan thought. "First there was a bright light, but then it got dimmer, and then I saw a rushing creek, but . . . then . . . the creek turned blood-red. Then I started to feel cold . . . like in a cave . . ."   
"Is that all?" asked Ivar.  
"Yes."  
"Well . . ." Cathbad sat down, a distance away from Rohan. "This is a very serious matter. Are you sure you FELT like you were in a cave and didn't just THINK it?"  
"I'm sure," said Rohan.  
"This is very strange indeed." Cathbad was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Let's wait until tomorrow and see if you have any more of these visions."  
Everyone agreed it was a wise choice and waited till the next day. Rohan claimed he had no more visions, but Garrett said he did.  
"I saw a pair of eyes," he explained. "Brown eyes. But then they closed and disappeared. Then I saw a view of a wooded area, which disappeared, too. But then . . ." his eyes got wide as he told the others the next part of his vision. "I saw a scene with me, from when I was getting my mystic weapon. It was the part where I was surrounded by those spirits and was about to call for help."  
"Garrett has a vision about himself," Angus said under his breath. "Why am I not surprised?"   
"This is no time for jokes, Angus," Deirdre snapped.  
"You have to admit," said Ivar, "it WAS funny." Deirdre raised her fist and he backed off.  
"I wonder what could be causing these visions," Rohan thought out loud.  
"I'm sure we will find out soon." Cathbad nodded his head.  
"How can you be so sure?" Rohan asked.  
"Did I teach you nothing with all those years of training?"  
Rohan gave a puzzled look.  
Cathbad rolled his eyes and explained. "A wyrm can only be a certain distance away to be able to send to a certain person, much like yourself. This must mean another dragon is in the area! You must go and find it, now."  
The five Mystic Knights left the castle to go search for the dragon. They found nothing, but it left them tired enough to have a good night's sleep . . . except for one Mystic Knight, who tossed and turned all night.  
  
"I had a vision!"  
The other four friends looked up quickly.   
"Welcome to the club." Rohan patted Ivar on the back. "Now, let's go tell Cathbad about it."  
"It seemed as if I was falling," Ivar explained in Cathbad's chamber. "Falling towards the grass, but then the image disappeared in a flash of black." Everyone was silent. He shook his head. "It makes no sense. We found no dragon."  
"Or anything else unusual," Deirdre added. "Cathbad, what is going on?"  
Cathbad held up his hands innocently. "Don't ask me."  
"Then who could be sending these weird visions?" Angus asked.  
"Wait a second," Ivar put his hand to his head. "I'm getting something."  
"It's the Mark of Destiny," Rohan said.  
"And now it's the sword of Temra." said Garrett.  
"And the sword of Kells combined," Ivar said.  
Everyone looked at each other in amazement, thinking the same thing.  
"Could it be?" Deirdre wondered.  
"It can't be," Rohan said. "Maeve is gone."  
"Not entirely," Cathbad pointed out. "Even though she was banished she is still alive. There is a great possibility it could be her."  
"Well," Angus said, "either that's it or this dragon knows too much."  
"Well, how can we find Maeve?" asked Deirdre. "We certainly couldn't have missed her when we were searching for a dragon . . . could we?"  
"You never know," said Garrett. "Maeve has tricked us many times before."  
"But each time we caught her," Rohan said. "I know we'll find her soon."  
"Wait." Cathbad put his hands to his head. "I feel a great disturbance in the kingdom of Kells."  
They all heard footsteps of soldiers and went down to the throne room to see what was going on. Rohan, who was in the lead, stopped in the middle of the doorway when he saw five guards surrounding the prisoner---his mother, Maeve. 


	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
Conchobar was called to his throne room and had the same reaction as Rohan. He then walked slowly to his throne, sat down and just stared at Maeve, thinking. Finally he said, "Well Maeve, I see you've come back to us."  
She gave him a nasty look.  
He ignored the look and continued speaking. "And now that we're all here I hope you don't mind telling us how you got here."  
"Oh, I have my ways, Conchobar," Maeve growled.  
Rohan thought he heard her say, "More than you can imagine you drunken bastard," but he shook his head, telling himself that Maeve would never say anything like that out loud.  
Conchobar said, "Then if you won't tell us then maybe you'd like to spend the evening in one of our jail cells."  
Maeve said nothing.  
Conchobar ordered the guards to take her away. Rohan followed them.  
Maeve was thrown into the cell but quickly got back up, her back to the wall.  
Rohan put his hands on the bars and asked, "Was it you?"  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Maeve replied, but her voice was a little uncertain.  
Rohan took a deep breath. "Tell me how you got here," he said. "You can trust me."  
She said nothing and turned her head.  
"Why won't you speak?" he asked. "Do you not even want to talk to your own son?"  
She leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor. "It's not that I don't want to talk to you." She paused. "There's just nothing to say."   
The words echoed in his head as he thought he heard Maeve say, "Except for everything." He shook his head. Why does he keep hearing her voice when she doesn't speak? COULD it be her who was sending those visions? But she isn't a dragon . . . is she?  
He studied her. She looked different than the last time he saw her. Her pale dress was torn in places and she had a scratch on her left cheek. Her face seemed to be quiet and sad, which was not normal for her since Maeve was not the kind of person to show her emotions much. She reminded him of a small girl, sitting against the wall like that. Everything about her seemed so plain, yet unnatural, and it kind of freaked him out.  
She looked up at him and a bright light filled every corner of his mind. He put his hand to his head and winced as pain shot through his skull. The Sending had given him the worst headache he'd ever had, which forced him to leave and go back to the throne room where his friends were waiting.   
When he arrived everybody looked up to hear what he had to say.  
"I just KNOW it's her sending those visions," he said---quietly because of the pain in his head. "I had a vision when I was with her."  
"That's funny," Garrett said. "I had a vision, too."  
"Same here," Ivar said. "What was yours like, Rohan?"  
"It was only a bright light. It seemed like an emotion to me."  
"My vision was the same," Ivar said.  
"Same here," Garrett said.  
"What if it IS Maeve?" Deirdre thought out loud. "The question is: how did she get the power to Send as dragons do when her powers were destroyed?"  
"You're right, Deirdre," Ivar said. "How could Maeve have gotten those powers?"  
"Why don't we find out?"  
Ivar nodded and everyone started to leave. Everyone except Rohan.  
"Aren't you coming?" Angus asked.  
Rohan shook his head. "I'd rather stay here then bear to see Maeve like that again."  
Angus nodded to say that he understood and rejoined the others. When they got to Maeve's cell she was in the same place as when Rohan was there, only this time her head was resting on her knees as if she had been falling asleep.  
Ivar asked, "How did you get them?"  
"Get what?"  
"The power to speak as certain dragons do."  
"And what exactly do you mean by certain dragons?"  
"You know what we mean," Garrett said.  
Maeve stood up and started to slowly pace. "I won't tell you how I got those powers. All I know is that I can't totally control what I send."  
"Why did you only send to Rohan, Ivar and Garrett?" Deirdre asked.  
"Yeah," Angus agreed. "I was beginning to feel left out."  
"No reason."  
"Why don't you tell us everything and we'll go easy on you," Garrett said.  
"What makes you think I WILL tell you everything?"  
"Listen, Maeve," Deirdre got up close to the bars. "You will tell us everything and you will tell us everything NOW. Do you understand?"  
"If I tell you the whole story will you promise to release me?"  
"We're not making any promises.  
"Neither am I."  
"What does that mean?"  
Maeve walked up to them. "I won't promise to tell you EVERYTHING. Only most of it."  
"Go on."  
Maeve looked away, afraid to look any of them in the eye or else she might tell too much. "I met a Dragon Master who taught me the secrets of Sending. I still hadn't quite mastered it when he retired and so he sent me to another Master."  
"How did you end up here?" asked Ivar.  
"Shipwreck," she simply answered.  
Deirdre said, "Well, maybe if you tell us who and where this Dragon Master is we can help you get to him."  
Maeve shook her head. "I was to sworn to secrecy not to let anybody find out about who he was or where he lived. He wants to keep his identity a secret. Why, I don't know."  
"I think that's enough information for one day." Garrett said.  
The four left Maeve alone and headed back to the throne room. Rohan jumped up immediately. "What did she say?"  
"She said that she got here by shipwreck while searching for some sort of Dragon Master," Angus said. "I wonder if that's really the truth."  
"Why shouldn't it be?" Rohan asked. "Don't you trust her?"  
"Of course we trust her, Rohan," Ivar said. "Why are you defending Maeve?"  
"Because---I don't know." Rohan stormed out of the room. "I'm going for a walk."   
  
He arrived very late that night. The others hadn't bothered to wait for him because they were used to him going off like that by now.   
Rohan stopped at Maeve's cell and saw her lying on the floor sleeping---or at least trying to.  
She looked up to see him standing there looking at her. "What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised that he would even want to see her after the many times she tried to kill him just because he was a Mystic Knight.  
"I'm . . . I'm just visiting," he replied. They were both silent, too afraid to speak. Rohan leaned against the wall and finally said, "So . . . how is it in your new life?"  
"It's fine, I guess."  
Suddenly a picture of a knife shot into his mind. He held his hand to his head and groaned. "What are these emotions you keep filling my mind with?"  
"Oh, no. Was I Sending again?" She closed her eyes tight and concentrated.  
Rohan felt the knife fade away and his mind was clear. "How do you Send messages mentally?"  
"It's hard to explain." Maeve sighed. "I don't know how I Send the emotions or thoughts. They just escape from my mind and I can't totally control them yet. I wish I could."  
"How come you only Sent to me, Ivar and Garrett?" Rohan asked.  
"It's probably because Deirdre and Angus are Kellsmen and right now I don't want anything to do with Kells."  
"I'm a Kellsman."   
"Actually, you're not. You weren't born a Kellsman, so that's why there must be a connection."   
They sat there for a while, just thinking. It was a surprise to Rohan that Maeve was his mother. He still remembered when he first found out about it. It was almost like a dream that never left him, no matter what. Every night since Maeve was banished he wondered what she was doing, where she was, and if she was thinking of him. Now that she was here everything would be all right. . . . Would it? He decided not to think about that right now. He was getting so tired he almost couldn't think straight. "Good-night," he said.  
Maeve glanced up without a word and watched him leave. She sighed and lay her head down, wondering how much longer she would have to stay in jail.  
  
"King Conchobar." Rohan came into the throne room the next morning.  
Conchobar looked up from his papers.  
"I've been thinking." Rohan took a deep breath. "We could give Maeve a second chance."  
"WHAT?!"  
"We could let her prove to us herself that she is worthy of staying here."  
"Rohan, I don't think---"  
"Oh, please, please, PLEASE?"  
"You know she did take over Kells."  
"Yes, but it was only for a short time."  
"Why are you suddenly on Maeve's side?"  
"I don't know. Maybe I just want to give her a chance because she's family, or maybe because I never got to know her."  
Conchobar sighed. "Will you keep an eye on her?"  
"Oh, of course," Rohan pleaded. "I'll make sure she doesn't try anything."  
"You do know that I'm trusting you totally with her."  
Rohan nodded.  
Conchobar thought. "All right. Ask the guard standing by the cell for the key. She will remain at the castle until we can get her to that Dragon Master."  
"Thank you, thank you!" He hurried off to Maeve's cell.  
  
"Where IS he?" Ivar asked.  
"Probably with Maeve," Angus said. He was sitting on Conchobar's throne like he always did when the king was out of the room. "He's spent all day with her."  
"You mean every day," said Garrett. "He's spent every waking moment with her since she was let free. It's like he's devoted his life to her."  
"Well she is his mother," Deirdre implied.   
"But still," Garrett started.  
"Hey," Angus' face lit up. "Maybe we could spy on him!" Everyone looked at him. He looked back. "What?"  
The other three shook their heads.   
"We can't invade Rohan's privacy," Deirdre said.  
"And plus, he's our best friend," Garrett added.  
"But I was only trying to---"  
"What the---" Ivar suddenly said.  
"What could it mean?" Garrett asked.  
Angus and Deirdre looked at Ivar and Garrett as if they were nuts, then looked at each other and said in unison, "What?"  
"We just got a Sending," Garrett explained. "It---it doesn't make any sense! What truth?"  
"Huh?"  
Ivar filled in, "It's something Maeve was thinking. It says 'If only I could tell Rohan the truth.' "  
"That's odd," Deirdre said. "Are you sure that's what it said?"  
"Positive," Ivar replied.   
Everyone thought for a moment.  
"Angus, go get Rohan and Maeve," Garrett said. "We should talk to them."  
"Aww, I just got comfortable."  
"Angus, do it."  
"Yes, and get off my father's throne," Deirdre yelled.  
"All right," he mumbled as he left the room. "Sheesh, can't I have a break now and then?"  
"No!" all three yelled back.  
  
Later that day Garrett, Ivar, Deirdre, and Conchobar were in the throne room waiting for Angus, Rohan, and Maeve to arrive. Angus showed up first, out of breath and panting.  
"Where's Maeve and Rohan?" Conchobar asked.  
"Right over here." He pointed behind him while Maeve and Rohan came around the corner. Angus bent down. "I searched all around the kingdom for them." He sat down on one of the benches, gasping.  
"Why do you wish to speak to us?" asked Rohan.  
"It's about Maeve." Garrett looked at her. "We know you're hiding something."  
Everyone turned to face her.  
"We heard one of your Sendings," Ivar said. "We heard you thinking 'If only I could tell Rohan the truth.' We want to know what it means."  
Rohan asked, "Maeve, is this true? What is it you're not telling me?"  
Maeve started to step back. "Maybe I did think that, but it doesn't mean I'm hiding anything."  
"What if it does?" Ivar said. "We must know that you won't try anything."  
"Yeah," Angus exclaimed. "Like when you took over Kells' throne."  
"You got it back, didn't you?" she snapped. "Anyway, I wouldn't try to do anything like that again. I've learned my lesson."  
Deirdre shook her head incredulously.   
"What do you think, Deirdre?" Conchobar asked.   
"I think it would be wise that Maeve continue her journey to the Dragon Master," she suggested. "Then we wouldn't have to worry about getting her there later on."  
"No," Maeve started. "I want to stay here . . . for a while."  
Everyone looked at her with wide, surprised eyes.  
"Maeve," Ivar gasped. "Are you well?"  
"Of course I am," she replied.  
But in his mind, Garrett heard her say, "Except that the only reason I came here was to . . ."   
He looked up at her and saw that she was biting her lip.  
"I have to do something," she choked as she spun around and left the room.  
Rohan started to go after her but Angus stopped him. "I think you've spent enough time with her today."  
"I wonder why she left in such a hurry," said Deirdre.  
Garrett watched Maeve leave, wondering if Ivar and Rohan heard the Sending too.   
  
Rohan walked into Cathbad's chamber that evening to find all the other Mystic Knights there.  
"What is everybody doing here?" he asked.  
"We're discussing how weird it is that Maeve wants to stay here," Angus said. "I agree with you, Ivar. She must have come down with some very SERIOUS illness."  
"I still wonder what truth Maeve is hiding." Deirdre sighed. "Angus, stop fooling around with those magic powders, you don't know what you're doing."  
"I know plenty what I'm doing." Angus picked up a small jar and poured the contents into a bowl.   
A puff of smoke poofed up and when the it had cleared, an oval of light was floating above the table. Everyone gasped at the sight. Angus started to step back.  
"Angus, what did you do?" Deirdre yelled.  
"I didn't do anything," he defended.  
"Every time he comes in here," Rohan said to Garrett, "he always has to fool around."  
"How is it that every time he makes a mistake it's always a bad one?" Garrett asked.   
Rohan shrugged. "I guess that's just his luck."  
"Look!" Ivar pointed to the oval.   
It was beginning to fill with a deep purple color. Then it turned into an image of a pool of blood lying on the grass. Suddenly they saw a Temra soldier hitting the ground, blood spewing out of his mouth. After a few seconds, the soldier formed into the image Garrett, Ivar, and Rohan saw earlier of the Kells and Temra swords combined.  
"A prophecy?" Rohan exclaimed.  
Deirdre and Angus looked at him.  
"Written a thousand years ago?" Garrett wondered.  
Cathbad then walked in. "What's all this about?"  
"Oh, nothing," Deirdre said innocently. "Angus was just messing with your powders again."  
"Anguuuuuus!"   
"What?"  
Cathbad shook his head and sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you NOT to mess around with my magic?"  
"I won't do it again, honest."  
He shook his head again.   
"Cathbad," Rohan interrupted. "Do you know anything about an ancient prophecy?"  
"Of course. I know of many. Why do you need to know?"  
"We received a Sending about a prophecy that was written a thousand years ago. Do you think you may have it?"  
"I don't know. I'll look around."  
An hour later, the entire room was a mess and everyone was exhausted from searching.  
Angus was relaxed in a chair with his feet propped up on the table. "You know, Cathbad, it's funny." He laughed. "You can't blame this mess on me."  
"You know," Deirdre spoke up. "I think Maeve has something to do with this prophecy."  
"You could be right, Deirdre." Ivar said. "Why didn't we think of that before?"  
"Perhaps," she bragged, "that's because I'm the only one in this room who can think for herself?"  
Angus started to crack up. "That's a good joke, Deirdre. But I bet I'm smarter than all of ya."  
"Well . . ." Cathbad started to get the same look on his face he always did when he was about to prove Angus wrong. "If you're so smart, why don't you tell us a clever way to clean up this mess."  
"Oh, that's easy." He looked around. "You could, uhh . . . maybe we can, um . . . how 'bout, ahh . . . Rohan, what do you suggest?"  
Deirdre rolled her eyes. "I'll go speak to Maeve." She left the room, turned the corner down the hall, and onto Maeve's chamber. She knocked on the door.  
"Come in," she heard Maeve say.  
She opened the door and saw Maeve sitting on the bed, looking at some stones.  
Maeve looked up and once she saw Deirdre standing in the doorway she quickly collected the stones and put them in a sack. "What do you want?"  
"Oh, I just came to tell you that we got another one of your Sendings."  
"What was it about?" Maeve asked curiously.  
Deirdre paused, trying to think of the right way to describe the Sending. "It---it had blood . . . that turned into Temra soldiers attacking Kells soldiers . . . and then it showed the Kells and the Temra swords combined. What do all these Sendings mean? They never seem to make any sense. At least, not the ones I've heard about."  
Maeve laughed. "That wasn't a Sending."  
"What?"  
"It was a memory."  
"How was it any different from a Sending?"  
"Did you receive it mentally?"  
"Well, no."  
"Then it's not a Sending. Was there anything else in the memory?"  
"No, but we got a real Sending about some sort of prophecy."  
Maeve instantly stopped everything and stared at Deirdre. "A prophecy?" she exclaimed. "Tell me exactly how much information you got on it."  
"The only information we received was that it was written over a thousand years ago."  
Maeve sighed. "Good. Uh---I mean . . ."  
Deirdre eyed her curiously. "What DO you mean, Maeve?"  
"Um . . . uhhhhh . . . it's GOOD that you got that information . . . because if you didn't, you wouldn't know anything about it . . . and then it wouldn't help you very much."  
Deirdre looked satisfied. "Perhaps we will get more about this prophecy in the next couple of days."  
"Yes," Maeve nodded. "Perhaps." 


	3. Part 3

Part 3  
  
Garrett came into his chamber late that night, thinking about what had happened that day. He just couldn't understand why he was the only one who received that Sending from Maeve earlier that day. The others couldn't have received it or else they would have said something. He knew he should've spoken when he had the chance.  
What about that prophecy, and what Deirdre had talked about with Maeve? Deirdre had told the others what they had discussed, but something didn't seem right. Why would Maeve have a memory that gruesome? And did she know more about the prophecy? If she did, she must be hiding something or else she would have told Deirdre about it. . . . But would she? She never seemed to like Deirdre much. . . .  
He sighed and sat on his bed, remembering the exact words Deirdre had used when she told them about their little talk. She had said that Maeve started acting a little suspicious when she told her about the prophecy. Now Garrett knew that Maeve was definitely hiding something from all of them, but what?  
He took is shoes off and rested his head in his hands. Something was definitely up. It just had to be. Why else would the Mystic Knights be receiving all those Sendings---especially him?  
He got undressed and into his night clothes and climbed in to his bed, still thinking of Maeve. He lay awake, still thinking of Maeve. He tried to close his eyes and go to sleep, but all he could think about was Maeve.  
~Why is Maeve the only thing I can think about?~ he wondered.  
In the darkness a picture of a stone appeared. He sat up, realizing that he was receiving a Sending and stayed silent as possible, trying to pay attention to every bit of it.  
First there was the stone, then there was an image of a ship. After a few seconds he began to hear something. At first it sounded like the wind, but then he heard words forming.  
Soon, he could hear that they were in Maeve's voice. They said, "Why am I staying here so long? Why can't I just get them and go?"  
Garrett blinked in puzzlement. The picture of the stone came back to him, and then it disappeared. Everything was black. He was back in his dark chamber---if he even left it at all.  
~What was that all about?~ he thought. ~Could Maeve be after something?~  
He lay back down and tried to go to sleep, even if no sleep came.  
  
The next day he entered the throne room and stopped once he saw Maeve. She looked innocent, but he was no fool. He would get to the bottom of this soon.  
"Good morning, Garrett," Deirdre greeted. "Did you sleep well?"  
Garrett jumped when he heard her. "Uhhh, no. I---I didn't get any sleep at all." He looked at Maeve, then turned to the others and said, "Did you get any more Sendings?"  
"Nope," Rohan answered. "I see you're starting to control them, Maeve."  
She shrugged. "I've been practicing a lot."  
"You know," Angus said, "I still don't get how you do it, Maeve."  
"It . . . it's sort of complicated," she replied. "But I still haven't quite mastered it yet."  
"I'll say," Garrett thought out loud.  
Everyone looked at him.  
"Uuhhh . . . I mean . . . ummm . . ." he stuttered, trying to find the right words. "Um, I mean, since we got a Sending yesterday, I suppose she really still hasn't mastered it . . . yet."  
"Mystic Knights," Cathbad hurriedly entered the room.  
"What is it, Cathbad?" Ivar asked.  
"I was just studying some scrolls." There was excitement in his eyes. "I found out something about that prophecy you were talking about yesterday."  
"Go on," Deirdre said, interested.  
Garrett saw Maeve starting to step back like she didn't want to be there.  
Cathbad smiled. "It's not much, but at least it's something."  
"And?" Angus said impatiently.  
"I found out that the prophecy has something has to do with Kells, and that includes you, the Mystic Knights." The others gasped.  
"What else did you get on it?" Deirdre asked.  
"That's all." Cathbad relaxed. "But, little or not, it's still valuable information."  
Rohan thought. "I wonder if Fin Varra has anything about it. We should go to him, just in case."  
"And perhaps Maeve would care to join us." Deirdre suggested.  
Maeve looked stunned. "Uh---I'm not sure if I want to or not. I don't want to get in the way of anything."  
Garrett heard her voice in his mind saying, "What if they find out more about the prophecy? What if they find out why I'm here?"  
A sly smile began to form on his face. "Oh, do come, Maeve. You won't be in the way." Ah, but the real reason he wanted her to come was to make sure she didn't try anything while the Mystic Knights were away, and he couldn't wait to see the look on her face if prophecy revealed her.  
Maeve shot him a nasty look that said, "What are you trying to pull?"  
Garrett ignored her.  
"I agree with you," said Cathbad. "Maeve could help us find out what all this is about. AND it may have something to do with her."  
"C'mon, Maeve, it'll be fun." Garrett smiled to himself.  
Maeve was beat. "Oh . . . alright."  
They left the castle and ventured forth to Tir na Nog.  
  
The room was a buzz when they entered the underground kingdom of the little people. Fin Varra was directing the gold-counters as usual, and, at the same time, tasting the newest creation from his head chef. He noticed the Mystic Knights.  
"Ahh, Mystic Knights. How have you been doing since Maeve was---AHHHH!" He pointed to her and yelled at the others, "What is SHE doing here?!"  
"Don't worry," Ivar replied, "she's on our side now."  
"Since WHEN?" Fin Varra remarked. "I won't have the former queen of Temra---who helped the evil Mider take over Tir na Nog---in my kingdom!"  
"But like we told you, she's on our side now." Leave it to Angus to talk back to the respected Fin Varra. "And plus, she's still weak from when her powers were destroyed."  
"And how do you know that?"  
Angus shut up.  
Rohan got to the point: "We came to you to ask if you had any information to give us about something important."  
"Of course. I have lots of information. What is it you need to know?"  
"We want to know about a certain prophecy," Deirdre chimed in. "All we know is that it has to do with the Mystic Knights and Kells."  
"A prophecy, eh?" he commented. "You know prophecies is my specialty. Let me think." He rested his chin on his magic cane and then exclaimed quickly, "Ahh, yes! Rohan, do you remember the ancient scroll about Draganta?"  
"Of course," Rohan said. "Draganta will bring peace to Kells for a hundred lifetimes."  
"Of course he remembers it," Angus scoffed. "He memorized the entire thing."  
"I was just researching," Rohan replied. "Go on, Fin Varra."  
"There's a missing part of it."  
Rohan's face lit up. "There is?!"  
The fairy king nodded. "Yes. I only remember a small part of it, though. Someone has stolen it." He glared at Maeve and Angus.  
"It wasn't me," they said in unison.  
"Just checking." Fin Varra chuckled. "But I remember something from the ancient scroll that has to do with . . . Maeve . . ." He and everyone else looked at her.  
She looked startled, but somehow not really so surprised. "Me?" she stuttered. "W---what did it say about me?"  
"I'm not quite sure . . . something that has to do with . . . you and Temra joining Kells and the Mystic Knights."  
"That must be why she's here," Garrett remarked.  
"Garrett!" Deirdre scolded him. "We must trust Maeve." She looked at the former queen. "IS that why you came here?"  
"Umm . . ."   
Garrett smiled to himself. ~Come on, Maeve,~ he thought. ~Tell the truth. I know you're hiding something.~  
"N---no."  
~She can keep a secret better than I thought!~  
He heard another Sending that was: "Do they suspect me? How can I not tell them when the subject keeps coming up? Why do they always look at me if something isn't right?"  
He looked at her questioningly. She looked back but then quickly turned away, as if she knew Garrett really did suspect what she was thinking.  
"Thank you for your knowledge, King Fin Varra." Rohan said. He was always a suck-up to such people like Cathbad, and Conchobar, and Fin Varra.  
They left the tiny kingdom of the little people and went back outside.  
Garrett walked behind the others and pulled Maeve back with him.  
"I heard another one of your Sendings," he told her, "and I do suspect you. I think you should tell me what's going on . . . now."  
Maeve stopped dead in her tracks. The others didn't look back to see what was going on, so they just left them standing there and went on ahead.  
"You're here for something, I know that." He continued talking because he wanted to hear Maeve's excuse---which could take a long while to think up.  
"I already told you." She started walking again, but slowly. "I didn't come here on purpose."  
"Then why do you want to stay here?"  
Maeve almost stopped again. Garrett had to pull her by the arm to keep her walking. "I . . . I just think I need a break from all that Training, that's all."  
"Your Dragon Training? What does that have to do with us suspecting you?" Her face turned blank and she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He smiled and said, "I thought so." He started walking faster to catch up with the other Mystic Knights.  
"Why do you need to know everything?" her voice came from behind.  
He turned around. "I'm just curious about your Sendings . . . why do you ask?"  
"I want to know why you're so curious. There's nothing suspicious about them---well---not to me anyway."  
"It just seems like they have something to do with you coming here. I mean, why else would you go to a Dragon Master and then end up here?"  
"I didn't go to a Dragon Master and I didn't END UP here. The person who I was staying with at the time just happened to be a Dragon Master. And as I told you before, I came here because of a shipwreck and this was the nearest piece of land."  
"You could've gone to Temra and stayed in the castle."  
"I didn't want to go back there." Maeve started to think about before she had been banished. It seemed like just yesterday she was back in her old throne room ordering people around. ". . . If I did go back there my urge to conquer would have come back, and then you'd be in trouble."  
"I can handle any sort of trouble you can bring."  
"Are you quite sure about that?" Maeve gave him a Look.  
"Is that a threat?"  
"Of course not." She smiled slightly. "Do you want it to be? Because I can make it one if you want me to."  
"No thank you." Garrett almost laughed. "I think you've given Kells plenty threats and I don't think we need anymore."  
She thought, ~Good, we're just laughing. That means he won't be asking me any more of those questions.~  
Garrett heard this in his head and decided not to ask about anything more. He had received enough information until the next Sending. He couldn't wait till then.  
  
Maeve and Garrett reached Kells way after all the other Mystic Knights did. In fact, it was after noon when they arrived at the castle.  
"And where have you two been?" Rohan came between them and rested his arms casually on their shoulders.  
"We were just talking," Garrett replied.  
"That's what they all say." Angus snickered and winked at them.  
Maeve stepped forward as if she were to strangle him but Rohan held her back.  
~Someday I'm going to get Angus so bad he won't know what hit him. Oh no, did I Send that?~ She looked over at Garrett and he nodded. "I---" she started to say, then he hushed her.  
"It's all right," he whispered. "Sometimes I feel like doing the same thing."  
Maeve excused herself and headed for her chamber. No one got any more Sendings for the rest of the day. Cathbad continued searching for the ancient prophecy, and nobody saw Maeve again that day except for when Rohan went to tell her good-night.  
Garrett, like last night, couldn't sleep. His thoughts were swarming madly around him and he kept wondering what Maeve was going to do next.  
How could the others fall for her? Hadn't they received any Sendings, like the ones he did? Didn't they suspect her ONE BIT? Had they been bewitched?  
He sighed. ~When am I ever going to find out what Maeve is doing here? I really wonder what she's doing now. She's probably asleep. But you never know about HER.~  
He started to lift the bed covers and climb out of bed.   
~I really do wonder what she's doing now. She spent half the day in her chamber. She must be up to something important. I wonder what it is. She probably won't mind if I take a little look,~ he thought slyly.  
He crept down the halls. ~Just to see what she's up to, and then back to bed.~  
When he reached Maeve's chamber he noticed light shining through the bottom of the door. He opened it and saw Maeve sitting on her bed, looking at a collection of stones. She looked up with a surprised face, and quickly stood up and started to take a pouch off her bed.  
"And what are you up to?" Garrett asked.  
"Uh, I---uh . . ." she held up one of the stones to show him. "I'm starting a rock collection."  
He laughed. "Really? I thought you'd have more time than that."  
"Apparently I don't." She laughed too.  
"Wouldn't you be quite busy making up excuses to explain why you're here?" He regretted it once he said it. He covered his mouth with his hand.  
"You still don't believe me, do you?" She silently started to pick up the stones on her bed and put them in the pouch one by one.  
As Garrett watched her he suddenly remembered the prophecy. The memory started to get stronger, and soon he realized that he was getting another Sending. "You're Sending again," he said.  
"Ohhh," she wondered out loud, "how come I can control my Sendings to all the others, but not to you?"  
"I don't know." He scratched his chin with innocence. "Maybe it's because I'm physic." He smiled at her.  
"Yeah right," she said. "And I'm Deirdre of Kells."  
Garrett eyed her. "Deirdre?" he played along. "I knew you were playing some kind of trick on us."  
"What?" she started.  
"I'm just kidding," he said. He started to laugh.  
Maeve smiled and shook her head. "So . . ." she began, "why did you come to see me?"  
He paused for a long time. "I just came here to . . . uhh . . ."  
She gave him a questioning look. "You're spying on me, aren't you?"  
"Uh, no, of course not."  
"Come on Garrett, you know I can tell if someone's spying on me. Why do you not trust me? Aren't my explanations good enough?"  
Garrett wanted to say, "Not to me," but then he would have to correct himself. What he said instead was, "They're good excuses. I just want to . . . hang out."  
"Hang out?"  
He nodded, not knowing what else to say. It was to late at night to do anything else.  
"I guess we could hang out," she said. "Unless you only want to be around me to find out the true reason why I'm here."  
"Maybe, maybe not," Garrett said. "Or maybe I want to be with you for the same reasons Rohan does."  
"What did he say?" she asked eagerly.  
"Why don't you go talk to him," he said as he left the room.  
  
Rohan was strolling down the halls the next morning, heading for Cathbad's chamber so he could learn more about being a druid's apprentice, when he saw Maeve coming towards him. "Good morning, Maeve," he said.  
She ignored his greeting. "I need to ask you something."  
"Anything."  
"Why do you want me to stay here?"  
He paused for a moment. He never thought Maeve would ever ask him that. But she was the kind of person you could never come to a conclusion to.  
She asked again, "What is the real reason why you want me to stay here? Tell me the truth, Rohan."  
"I just believe in giving people a chance. Is there any harm in that?"  
"I suppose not," she said. Then she thought out loud, "Perhaps that's also why Garrett wants me to stay. But it doesn't seem right for him to want ME here."  
"What are you talking about, Maeve?"  
"Nothing. Garrett paid a visit to me last night and we talked."  
"About what?"  
"Nothing in particular. I'm still trying to figure out why he came to speak to me in the first place."  
Rohan shrugged. "Maybe he wants to be friends."  
"That still doesn't seem right. Why would he want to be friends with ME?"  
"Possibly the same reason I do."  
"That's what Garrett said."  
"I've noticed that Garrett's been hanging around you a lot lately, Maeve." He smiled. "Maybe he wants to be more than friends with you."  
"Or maybe he's desperate." They both laughed. 


	4. Part 4

Part 4  
  
Garrett slept in that morning and stayed in his room until after noon. All morning he was thinking like crazy about Maeve and her reasons for staying at Kells.  
He wanted to talk to her but he was afraid he would say something stupid like he did last night. HANG OUT? What was he thinking? It could've been tiredness, or did he really want to hang out? Ah, of course he did; to find out her secret.  
He suddenly jumped as he heard Maeve's voice . . .  
"How can I try to take Kells now? Garrett is spying on me and Rohan is getting all nice. I think I'm getting all nice, too. I should have known coming back wouldn't be a good idea."  
He gasped and jumped up from his bed. "So THAT'S what she came here to do! How could I have been such an idiot not to see it?" He stood still and listened to more.  
". . . And how am I going to ever explain the prophecy to Rohan? He's obviously on Kells' side. But I can't stop. Not now! I've already gone this far. . . ."  
Garrett laughed. "At last, something more to torture Maeve with. I wonder what more she's hiding."  
~Torture Maeve with?~ he suddenly thought. ~I want to figure this out by myself. If Maeve knows I'm getting all her information, then she won't allow me to have any more. She can't know. I'll just pretend I don't know a thing. But I still have to hang out with her. Why, oh, WHY did I say that?~  
He sighed and walked out the door heading for the throne room. Deirdre was in there talking to King Conchobar. "Where's Maeve," he asked.  
Deirdre looked puzzled. "Why the rush?"  
"I just want to talk to her."  
Conchobar said, "First Rohan wants to see Maeve, now you, Garrett. What's gone wrong with this kingdom?"  
Garrett was about to answer when Angus and Ivar came trampling into the room.  
"There he goes again!" Angus proclaimed, pointing to the hallway. "Off with Maeve."  
"We tracked him down," Ivar said. "And there he was---"  
"With Maeve again." Angus took a seat on the bench. "What's wrong with the kingdom of Kells these days?"  
"That's what Conchobar just said," Garrett sighed.  
"Deirdre, long time, no see." Angus winked at her.  
"Ew!" Deirdre gave him a disgusted look and hid behind Conchobar. "Father, tell Angus to stop being so disgusting."  
"I was only joking," protested Angus.  
"Angus," Conchobar scolded, "I shall not have you saying such things around my daughter. Understood?"  
Angus mumbled something and before Conchobar could reply, Cathbad came scuffling into the room with a worried expression on his aged face.  
"My king," he said, coming closer, "I have just received a vision."  
Everyone stood silent to listen. "I saw Maeve with Rohan in this very throne room. They were talking, but I could not understand what they were saying. Then Rohan started walking out of the room, and Maeve followed. She started to explain something to him and he turned, gasping . . . and that's when the vision ends."  
Conchobar sat quietly for a moment. "I wonder what they could have been saying. Are you sure you couldn't make out anything?"  
"I am certain, my king."  
Garrett couldn't take it any longer. "That's it, I'm going."  
"Going where?" Deirdre asked.  
"To find Maeve," and he ran out of the room.  
"I told you there was something wrong with these people," said Angus.  
  
Garrett searched the woods and found them in no time. He ducked behind the trees, following them. He listened to their conversation and thought, ~Maybe Maeve HAS changed. Look at her. I never thought she could be like this.~  
Suddenly he tripped on a stick. When he stood back up Rohan and Maeve had seen him. He smiled at them and said, "Just out for a little walk."  
Maeve rolled her eyes. "Don't you think you could have thought up a better excuse than that?" She walked away in disgust.  
"But---Maeve, wait!" He ran after her and stopped her. "Maeve . . . I . . ."  
"What?" she snapped. "Are you here to spy on me again?"  
"I want to talk to you," he said.  
"Why, to ask me more ridiculous questions?"  
"No," he started, "I just want to talk."  
She gave him a look that said, "Are you sure?"  
He nodded and then they both looked at Rohan.  
"What?" Rohan asked, a bit confused.  
"I haven't told him yet," Garrett heard in his head. "Why did Garrett have to come? Why didn't I tell Rohan right away about the prophecy? He would've understood, right? He knows that we're family and I know that he would never betray me. I'll tell him as soon as I can."  
"Garrett, please . . ." Maeve said.  
Garrett shook his head. "I'm here to ask if you know any more about the prophecy. Everyone else doesn't know anything new about it, and I was thinking that maybe you know something you haven't told us."  
"All I know is what Fin Varra told me," she said, glancing at Rohan.  
Garrett started to hear another Sending: ". . . Except for that part where I defeat the Mystic Knights . . ."  
He looked up at her to see her staring at the ground as if deep in thought. He walked off without her noticing and went back to the castle. He didn't see her any more that day. ~She's avoiding me,~ he thought, and that was exactly what she was doing.  
  
This time it was Maeve's turn to stay in her chamber all morning. But when Garrett was visiting Cathbad early in the afternoon, she, surprisingly, came to join them.  
"Oh," she said when she saw Garrett. "YOU."  
"Good day, Maeve," Cathbad said. "What brings you here?"  
"Oh, nothing, just paying a visit." She looked around the room as if searching for something.  
Garrett was going to bother Maeve about the prophecy again when Angus came marching into the room like he owned the place. "Hey, Cathbad---"  
"OUT!" Cathbad shouted, and shoved Angus out of his chamber, shutting the door behind him.  
"You still don't trust me after that incident the other day?" Angus said through the door.  
"Eeeexactly," Cathbad said.  
"You shouldn't be so harsh with him," Maeve said. "Maybe all he wants to do is help. I should know what it feels like to be rejected." She gave Garrett and Cathbad a glance that seemed to blame them for banishing her.  
Garrett looked down with guilt like it was his fault, even if it wasn't. Rohan was the only one who could have defeated Maeve because they were family. After everything was as it should have been there seemed to be a large gap in everybody's lives. For a lifetime, everyone's thoughts were hooked on defeating Temra, and since that was accomplished . . . well, there just seemed to be nothing to do.  
At that moment, Conchobar walked into the room. "Ah, Maeve," he said. "Just the person I want to see. Garrett has been talking of you very much lately."  
Garrett blushed.  
"But, never mind that. Come. Everyone to the throne room. The others have been waiting."  
As they were exiting, Maeve pulled Garrett aside. "Do you know about this meeting?"  
"Not a thing," he replied. "I'm as surprised as you."  
When they reached the great room, Deirdre, Ivar, Angus, and Rohan were there. Conchobar took his seat at his throne and Deirdre and Cathbad at their seats beside him. Rohan looked relaxed standing in front of the fireplace with his arms resting on the mantle, and Angus and Ivar took a seat at the bench. Garrett stood by Rohan, and Maeve kept her distance from him and sat down next to Ivar.  
Conchobar began his speech, "As you all know, I have called you for a very important meeting."  
"Oh, get to the point," snapped the impatient Angus.  
"Very well," Conchobar said. "Maeve, I know you want to get to your Dragon Master, but since you arrived here I have seen that you are worthy enough to stay."  
Everyone's eyes were on Maeve now.  
"Father," Deirdre spoke up, "Surely, you aren't really thinking of letting Maeve stay here for as long as she likes, are you?"  
"My daughter, as you can see, Maeve has shown herself trustworthy. But, the decision is hers. It is up to her."  
Maeve paused in thought. "I don't know," she said. "I didn't have time to think about it. I don't know if I should . . ." She looked over at Garrett. "I'm not sure. Would it be alright if I thought about it?"  
"Of course," Conchobar said. "You have two days to make your decision."  
Maeve nodded and walked off into the halls. As Garrett watched her, he heard her voice loud and clear: "Two days. Two days to disappear. I can do everything in two days, can't I?"  
~Not if I can help it,~ Garrett thought. ~I'm going to watch you for good. You're not going to get away that easily.~  
  
All through the rest of the afternoon Garrett's head was filled with Sendings. In each one he learned more and more about the prophecy and what Maeve was planning to do. . . . "Why did I come here instead of going to the Dragon Master? I could have learned to control my Sendings better. I could have passed Kells and come back after. I shouldn't have given up the chance when it was right in front of me."  
With every step he took, he learned more of the prophecy and its meaning. . . . "What if the Mystic Knights defeat me again? I have a feeling they won't understand the ancient scroll. Only Cathbad probably will understand it, but that old coot won't do anything it says. He's so confused he doesn't know anything. And the idea of Kells and Temra combined . . . it's despicable! I would never work beside the Mystic Knights."  
Garrett also found out that to regain the throne of Temra and Kells she had to steal some magic stones. ~The stones!~ Garrett thought. ~When I came to visit her one night she was looking at stones!~  
He didn't see Maeve for the whole afternoon but the Sendings were still strong. He wanted the day to never end, for he was rather enjoying ruining Maeve's little plan. He didn't see any of his friends the whole afternoon either, except when he bumped into Maeve as he was entering the throne room. All the other Mystic Knights were there and Garrett pulled her aside and said, "Maeve, I know your secret. Tell them. Tell them what you came here for."  
"Are you hiding something from me, mother?" Rohan said.  
Maeve's thought transferred to Garrett's mind: "He called me mother. What am I supposed to . . ." Panic took over her face and she started to stammer. "W---why should I be hiding anything from you, son?"  
Garrett glared at her. "Go on, Maeve. Tell them everything."  
"Why should I? There's nothing to tell anyway."  
"Oh, yes there is." He started to pull out his sword. Everyone was looking now, waiting to hear what secret Maeve had to tell. "Either tell them, or death," he hissed.  
"No one's killing anyone here," Rohan said. He turned to Maeve. "Tell me, Maeve. Please."  
Garrett pressed his sword against her back and she choked, "The reason why I came here was . . ." She looked Rohan in the eyes and blurted out, "For you. I came to see you."  
Rohan just stared at her blankly. "For . . . ?"  
Maeve rushed out of the room, unable to take the pressure any longer.  
Rohan looked at Garrett. "You knew this and you didn't tell me?"  
"Well, I didn't know THAT," Garrett said. He started to run after Maeve when Rohan took him by the shirt collar and forced him down on a bench.  
"We have a little catching up to do," he said. The other Mystic Knights came over and crowded around him, waiting to hear what secrets Garrett kept, too.  
  
The blonde-haired prince barged into Maeve's chamber just as evening was arriving. "You see this?" he yelled, pointing to his left eye, which was starting to turn black and blue. "You're stinking son did this to me."  
"Then I've taught him well."  
Garrett let that insult pass. "The other Mystic Knights wish to speak with you. Probably about the prophecy."  
"What did you tell them?"  
"You'll find that out soon enough. Come on."  
They went to Cathbad's chamber to find the Mystic Knights and Cathbad there. Conchobar was off on some important business, so Cathbad and Deirdre were in charge.  
"Why are we in here instead of the throne room?" Maeve asked.  
"You'll find that out later," Deirdre said slyly. "Why don't you have a seat, Maeve?"  
"No, thanks," she replied uncertainly. "I'm fine here."  
Angus sat on the table in the middle of the room that held Cathbad's magic powders. "Alright, Maeve, we're giving you one chance to tell us everything. Garrett has already told us that you came to take over Kells and get back Temra, and also that you know much more about the prophecy than you told us you did. So spit it out, Maeve. This is your last chance for life."  
"Angus," Deirdre scolded, "don't be so harsh."  
"Hey, I was just givin' her a good scare."  
"I knew she was here for something," Garrett sneered. "Treacherous snake, I knew there wasn't something right."  
"So go ahead, Maeve. Tell us EVERYTHING." Angus gave her a warning look that told her if she didn't tell the whole truth there wouldn't be a good ending for her.  
"What makes you think I'm going to tell you anything?"  
"Cathbad," Deirdre said. Cathbad held up a glass that held a potion in it and raised his eyebrows to show her what he would do if she didn't explain.  
"I came here for more than just Rohan," she said hurriedly. "I had to regain Temra and Kells because I read in an old script I found that I would. It said I would have a great power---obviously that means Sendings---but there would be a follower . . ." She looked at Garrett as if to name him the follower.  
"I wasn't exactly following you," he said. "More like . . ."  
"Spying," Maeve hissed.  
"I wasn't spying," Garrett said.  
Maeve gave him a Look.  
"Okay, so maybe I was spying. It was for a good cause."  
Rohan sighed. "I can't believe you would do this, Maeve."  
"I can," Angus said.  
"What did the prophecy say about us?" Deirdre asked.  
"It said something about me taking over again, but then I would have no choice but to compromise with you between the two kingdoms. We would have to . . . share them."  
"Share them?" Deirdre started.  
"It would be nice to compromise," Ivar said.  
"Then why don't we compromise right now?" Rohan asked. "So then we won't have to do it later."  
"It might mess up the prophecy," Maeve said. "And I don't want to . . . right now."  
"You're up to something again, aren't you, Maeve?" Garrett said. "You're hiding something else."  
"Fine, we'll compromise right now."  
"I am reminded of what Conchobar talked about just earlier today." Rohan turned to his mother. "Maeve, do you really want to stay here?"  
"Wait a second," Garrett said. "You're letting MAEVE do all the thinking?"  
"Aww, dang," Angus exclaimed. "I was hoping WE would." He glared at Maeve and she glared back.  
"It's her we're compromising with," the responsible Deirdre said. "And it would be wise to see what her opinions are before we jump to conclusions."  
"Conclusions, conshmusions," Angus complained. "Can't we get right down to the banishing?"  
"No!" Deirdre, Maeve, and Rohan yelled at the exact same time.  
"There will be no banishing unless my father's here," Deirdre ordered. Angus made a nasty face at her when she wasn't looking.  
"Of course I want to stay here." She nodded her head toward Garrett. "Obviously not because of HIM but, nevertheless, I still want to stay."  
Rohan questioned, "Is it true that you came here for me, mother? I thought you didn't want to see me again."  
"No, no, that's not true. Of course I wanted to see my son, but there was also many other reasons why I came, too."  
"Like to steal the throne of Kells," Garrett said. "Do you deny it?"  
Maeve stared around the room as everyone stared back at her. "Of course," she said slowly and carefully, "there are some very important reasons I came here for. I'm not going to name all of them---"  
"Oh, yes you are," Garrett snarled.  
"Down, Garrett," Ivar ordered. "Maeve, we mean you no harm. If you just tell us everything, nothing bad will happen to you."  
Garrett heard the exact words of her mind. "Let's see . . . first I wanted to fulfill the prophecy, then it was for the throne of Kells, and then it was for Rohan . . ."  
"A number of reasons?" Garrett blurted out. "How long is it going to take to solve this shenanigan?" Everyone turned their heads his way. "Uhhh . . ."  
"How did you know?" Maeve asked. "I was only thinking of all the reasons why I . . . was I Sending?"  
"Uhh, no, not that I know of."  
"Then how did you . . . ?"  
Cathbad suddenly gasped. The room's attention was focused on him now. "Were was it?" he mumbled to himself, and started rummaging around the room.  
"What's Cathbad doing?" Ivar whispered.  
"Oh, the geezer's just talking to himself again," Angus said.  
"Ah-ha!" the old druid shouted. "Here it is! The potion I gave Garrett when he was under Maeve's evil spell."  
"EVIL?!" Maeve yelled. "Oh. Right. Evil."  
Cathbad ignored her and carried the clear glass over to the table. "Garrett, when Maeve hypnotized you to make you switch sides, this potion was given to you to have you switch back, and it worked. But I believe that it was only temporary."  
"Are you saying I'm supposed to be on Maeve's side now?"  
"Not exactly." He explained, "The reason why you must still be receiving Maeve's thoughts is because her spell is not broken."  
"But I thought I broke the spell," Deirdre said.  
"Ahh, but you only broke half the spell. Maeve added her own special touch to it. And that means, Garrett, you are able to hear Maeve's thoughts no matter what."  
"If I can hear Maeve's thoughts," Garrett said, "can she hear my thoughts?"  
Cathbad shook his head. "No; only she has the power to Send."  
"No wonder," Maeve thought out loud. "No wonder why you knew everything. But the Dragon Master never told me anything like this could happen."  
"Some Dragon Master," muttered Garrett. Maeve looked up at him and he backed off, holding up his hands to say he didn't mean it, and waited for some kind of nasty remark.  
Instead, she said, "You're right." A gasp went through the room. MAEVE said to GARRETT that he was RIGHT?! "You are right," she continued. "He wasn't a very good Dragon Master at all. He seemed clueless most of the time. I don't think I ever really trusted him. Then why did I believe him when he said I was to go to the other Dragon Master?"  
Everyone had been listening intently as she talked to herself. Rohan said, "Maybe he knew you were to come here."  
"But that can't be," she said. "I never told him about the prophecy. . . . No," she said suddenly. "Unless he was the one who stole the last part of it."  
"What last part of it?" Deirdre asked.  
"There was another missing piece of it," she said. "I used to have it for a short time, but then it either got lost or someone stole it. Now I know which."  
"How did he steal the prophecy?" Rohan asked.  
"It was when I met him. So that's why he taught me Sending. He must have known what I was to do."  
"Known to do what?" Angus asked.  
She looked up at him. "That's for me to know and for you to find out."  
"No," Garrett said. "That's for you to tell us, now."  
"I'm not going to tell you anything."  
Cathbad started creeping toward her with the poisonous potion. "I don't want to use this," he said quietly, "but if I have to, I will. Maeve, don't make this hard on yourself. This isn't what we all want to do, but this is the only thing we can think of."  
"You can't tell me what to do."  
"Please, mother," Rohan said. "Do it for me."  
Maeve said, "How come you always have to bring yourself up in every conversation?"  
He shrugged. "But we might be able to get that other part of the prophecy if you'd cooperate."  
"Oh, fine." She collected all her thoughts for a moment and finished telling them everything. "I did come back to take the throne of Kells, and also to regain my strength as well---and my powers. I didn't know it was going to go this far."  
"You thought you would just 'get the stuff and go,' " Garrett said. "I heard you think so myself."  
"That STUFF happens to contain magic powers, and it belongs to me."  
"Not if you can't get to it," Garrett said, laughing evilly.  
"People," Ivar said, "let's remember that we're the good guys." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, including Maeve.  
"Good, shmood," Angus said. "I wanna get this over with."  
"Whiner," muttered Rohan.  
Angus threatened to punch him.  
"Well, Maeve," Deirdre said. "I think we've had enough explanations for one day, don't you agree, boys?"  
"No," Rohan, Angus, and Garrett said in unison.  
"Boys, stop it," Deirdre scolded, then turned to Maeve. "That shall be all for today. Tomorrow I don't know what will happen, but I can assure you there will be no torturing." She shot a warning look at Angus.  
Maeve looked at the floor and left without saying anything.  
Ivar sighed and shook his head. "Will it never end?" 


	5. Part 5

Part 5  
  
"I don't care if you can hear this, Prince of Reggaht," Garrett heard that night. "I'm going to get them anyway."  
He saw the image of the stone and sat up quickly in his bed.  
"And you can't stop me," he heard again.  
~Or maybe I can,~ he thought. ~I don't care about that stupid prophecy.~  
"And why not?"  
He looked around the room. Where was she? How could she hear him? Not figuring it out, he replied, ~It's worthless. You don't even know all of it anyway. It's as dead as you're going to be when you get caught.~  
"Don't you mean IF I get caught? Those fools won't know what they'll be in for once they know that their fate is in my hands."  
~Some fate,~ he thought in a mocking tone. ~You know you won't be able to tell them or me what to do.~  
"We'll see about that."  
~Where are you?~  
"That's not for you to know, now is it?" Her laughter filled every corner of his mind. "Oh, now where is it? There's so much junk in here. That old coot doesn't know the first thing about magic."  
He got out of his bed quickly. 'Old coot'? That's what she had called Cathbad once. Hurriedly, he pulled on his boots, ran out his chamber door, and down the hall to Cathbad's chamber.  
Maeve looked up at him, the light from the window shining in her eyes.  
"And what do you think you're doing?" he asked, not bothering to speak quietly in the presence of the sleeping druid.  
"Why, getting the stuff and going," she said out loud, "as I said I would."  
"You're not going to get away that easily."  
"I have before."  
"Well, not this time."  
She smiled deviously at him, waved her hand, and---POOF---smoke swirled around her and she disappeared.  
"Uh-oh." Garrett looked around the room, finding no sign of her.  
Her voice echoed around the room. "Oh, look. I've gotten away easily. What are you going to do now?"  
A frightful look on his face, he ran into the halls and, seeing no sign of her, started to head for her chamber.  
Rays of light streamed through the crack of the bottom of the door. Flinging it open, the rays pierced his eyes and he could barely make out the figure of her next to the bright circle of light. Around the light were four black stones.  
The light began to rise and she started to reach her hand out and take it.  
"No!" Garrett flung himself on Maeve just as she took the bright circle.  
"You idiot!" she cried. "You could have completely ruined it!"  
"Anything to save my friends' hides is worth ruining," he said angrily. "I can ruin it more for you. Just one call for help and everyone will see what you've been up to. Just give me what you hold in your hand and I promise you won't be hurt . . . badly."  
She stared at him for a moment, thinking, "Garrett . . . I . . . I thought you said we were friends."  
~I'm not going to fall for another one of your tricks,~ he thought. She smiled sweetly and helplessly at him. A smile he had never seen before. A smile he never thought she had. "I'm not going to fall for it," he said.  
"No one's falling for anything," she said.  
He got up on his knees, holding her closed hand by the wrist, and whispered, "Give it to me."  
Unable to break free from his grasp---and his threat---she slowly, one by one, lifted her fingers and revealed a small, compact, clear crystal.  
He took it from her. "This is it? This is why you risked everything? Just for this?" He raised his hand to throw it against the cold stone floor.  
"Don't!" she shouted. He looked at her. "It is worth it. Don't harm it."  
"Oh, I'm not going to HARM it." He stood up and started walking toward the door.  
"Don't," she croaked, barely a whisper.  
He turned around. "And why shouldn't I? When you told us your little story I knew there was something you weren't telling. And now," he looked at the crystal, "I know now that I was right." He opened the door and started for Cathbad's chamber to tell him the news. Maeve hurriedly got up and ran to him.  
"Garrett," she said, stopping in front of him. "If you tell them, they'll banish me again---or worse. And if they banish me the prophecy will get all mixed up. And if the prophecy gets all mixed up I wouldn't have any power, a follower, or my rightful throne."  
"THAT THRONE," he said sternly, "never should have belonged to you. Temra is ours now, by right and by conquest."  
"You're supposed to be one of the good guys," she said to him. "REMEMBER?"  
"That doesn't fully apply to me any more."  
"Oh, really? So does that make you a villain, or a no-sider? And what will your father say of this? He will surely kill you when he finds out you've come to my side."  
"YOUR SIDE?!" he roared. "You actually think that I would be stupid enough to join YOUR SIDE?!"  
"That's what the prophecy said."  
"I don't care what some prophecy says, but my own guts. I am never going to trust or follow you."  
"Say what you like," she warned him. "It's not my life that's being risked."  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"Nothing." She tried to take the crystal from him but he pulled his hand away in time. "What are you going to do with it?"  
"Just make sure that you don't get your hands on it." He started walking down the hall.  
~I'm not going to waste my time with you anymore, Garrett,~ she thought. ~I know you'll come to your senses, whether you like it or not.~  
  
The next day dawned quickly without a trace of Maeve. Everyone had gathered in Cathbad's chamber where Garrett gave him the crystal and explained what he had seen. Conchobar hadn't looked shocked at the story at all, knowing she would 'likely do something like that in the end.' But the look on Rohan's face was heartbreaking. He left the room quietly and calmly and went to sit in the courtyard. The others soon joined him.  
Angus sat on the steps of the inside of the castle wall and gazed at his friend. "Poor Rohan. Look at 'im. He's just wasting away."  
"I wouldn't be wasting away if you'd leave me alone to think."  
"There's nothing to think about," Garrett argued. "Maeve is gone again and that's that. She knows what she did."  
"But there's more to it than that." He could feel the questioning looks around him. "How could she slip away like that? Just disappear? There has to be some reason. She wouldn't just leave me here."  
"She has before," Deirdre said.  
Rohan sighed, ticked that his friends wouldn't understand him. "Well, she's different now, you just can't seem to understand that."  
"No need to bark at us, Rohan, we're just trying to help," Angus said, trying to comfort him.  
"I need to be alone, please."  
They left and went to the throne room where Conchobar sat. "Father," Deirdre said, approaching him, "we have to get Maeve back. You've seen how Rohan acts when she's gone. He suddenly turns on us and wants to be alone to think all the time."  
"Wait a minute," Garrett said suddenly. "I just might know where she is." He retraced through his thoughts back to when he had been talking to her after they had visited Fin Varra. He had asked her why she didn't go back to Temra instead of coming to Kells and she had replied, "If I did go back there my urge to conquer would have come back, and then you'd be in trouble."  
Before he knew it he was on the road to Temra with all the other Mystic Knights behind him.  
"Tell me again why we're goin' to Temra, Garrett?" Angus asked.  
"To find Maeve," he said. "This is the only place left where she would go. And we're coming here to stop her."  
"Stop her from what?" asked Deirdre.  
He rolled his eyes. "It's too complicated to tell you the whole thing. But we have to stop her from taking over again."  
"But she said she learned her lesson," Ivar said.  
"Obviously she hasn't," he mumbled.  
They reached Temra Castle within the hour. As they stared up at the black building, its dark figure towering before them, a chill swept through them and they all shuddered.  
"Do we really have to go in?" Angus whispered.  
"If you want to save Kells, then yes," Garrett replied.  
They silently walked through the twisted gray halls, the lack of windows depriving them of proper lighting. They turned corner after corner after corner and soon came to a dead end.  
"Nice goin', Rohan," Angus said. "You've gotten us lost."  
"I thought he said he knew this place like the back of his hand," Ivar whispered.  
"He must have a pretty deformed hand," Angus whispered back.  
"I heard that," Rohan said.  
"Pipe down," Garrett warned. "Maeve might know we're here. Follow me. I'll show you the way." He led them back through the halls, taking a different route. They ventured though the twisted halls once more and when Garrett turned left he stopped suddenly, the others running into him.  
"What is it, Garrett?" Deirdre started to ask, when she, too, fell silent. There in front of them was the great throne room. All was eerily silent. No torches were lit, yet a strange light seemed to fill the room.  
"Where's Maeve?" Deirdre suddenly asked. Everyone looked towards the throne.  
It was empty.  
"You said she'd be here," Ivar said.  
"Wait a minute," Rohan said. "Do you hear that?"  
Everyone looked around the room once more. There was a deep growling noise coming from somewhere inside the castle. They started walking backwards, ready to make a break for it, when Maeve appeared at the opposite side of the room.  
"Maeve!" all five of the Mystic Knights cried out.  
"I see I don't have to introduce myself," she said.  
"Mother, why are you here?" Rohan asked. "And why did you suddenly run off like that?"  
"No reason Garrett doesn't know."  
"Huh?"  
Garrett bit his lip. "She doesn't mean anything."  
"Oh, really? You're the one who dragged your friends here, and for what? So they can see you betray them?"  
"Never," he hissed.  
"You keep saying that, but may I ask if you really mean it?"  
"Of . . . of . . . course . . ." He stopped to think about it. DID he really mean it?  
~Of course I do,~ he told himself. ~How could I ever think otherwise? Maeve's words are just getting to me. I must stay focused on defeating her. No more falling for her tricks.~  
He decided to change the subject. "Where was that growling coming from?"  
"Only Tyroone," she simply replied. "He must have detected your presence. I've trained him well."  
"What could you possibly be doing with Tyroone?" Ivar asked.  
"Having a little chat by Sending messages back and forth."  
"And why would you NEED to be talking to Tyroone?" Rohan asked.  
"No reason," she simply replied again. "The two of us need some catching up to do. After all," she said cunningly, "we haven't seen each other in a while."  
A chill swept over Garrett like ice. He had a feeling she was up to something, and it wasn't a good feeling. The room started to spin and there was a terrible burning in his chest. He bent forward and cringed, almost falling to the floor.  
"Garrett," he heard Deirdre say, "what's wrong? Garrett? Talk to me."  
~Maeve is doing this,~ he thought. ~I can't give in.~ He tried to stand up straight, but the pain only increased. His eyes flashed red but then everything---the pain, the dizziness, the red---went as quickly as it came.  
"Maeve," he groaned, "what's happening?"  
"Don't ask me," she said. "It may be the Change happening."  
"The what?"  
"The CHANGE. I told you you'd come to my side one way or another."  
Suddenly it was all very clear to him. The follower, the prophecy, it all came to him in a rush.  
~The Change.~ The memory of her words echoed in his mind. He knew he would be the follower whether he liked it or not. Every piece of the prophecy he had ever heard came back to him and he understood what it meant.  
Maeve put her hands to her hips. "Well, it's about time."  
He looked up at her, knowing she was reading his mind again.  
"I knew you'd come to your senses sometime. Shall we begin?"  
"Begin what?" he replied, afraid to even find out.  
Her eyes grew dark. "Destroying your friends."  
A look of terror swept across his face. He moved closer to his companions, devising a plan. "You're not going to hurt them, not if I can help it."  
Her laughter rang throughout the room. The chill started to creep up Garrett's spine again.  
"You know you can't stop me," she sneered. "It's in the prophecy."  
"I know I can't," he said. "But I can at least try."  
"Garrett," Deirdre said, "you're insane."  
"Yeah," Angus' voice came from behind her. "Quit trying to be the hero. We're supposed to do this together." His friends nodded in agreement.  
~Don't listen to them,~ a soft, wispy voice said. ~They know nothing of your fate.~  
He tried to block the voice out but it came back. Louder this time.  
~Don't listen to them. They know nothing of your true power.~  
Dozens of thoughts ran through his mind and every single one of them confused him.  
~Don't listen to them. They'll just get in the way of everything.~  
He tried to fight the words, but it did no use. The burning in his chest came back, and his head ached as everything turned red. He tried to hold his head and his chest at the same time, but the pain was too powerful. He finally curled up into a ball on the floor, groaning.  
"What have you done to him?" Deirdre shouted. "Stop it, whatever you're doing!"  
"Don't interfere," Maeve booming voice came, and raised her hand. Garrett groaned even louder. Deirdre started to kneel down to help him but the others pulled her back, afraid of what was taking place.  
Dozens, hundreds, thousands of thoughts raced through his mind, but only one seemed to seep into his consciousness:  
~You have to fight it. Don't . . . give . . . up!~  
He tried to fight the pain with all the strength he had left---if he had any left---but it only made it worse. He let out a scream; long loud, and heart-wrenching. It seemed to be the only sound in the world as it echoed off the walls and deafened all who was present. When it was over it still vibrated in his chest and throat and head, and he felt himself begin to rise. His legs were standing him up and turning him around to face his friends. He stared at them, wide-eyed, and they stared back the same way.  
He began to walk towards them as something yelled in his mind: ~Destroy them. DESTROY THEM.~ But as one thought reminded him, one tiny speck of sense hit him of what his plan was supposed to be, the pain increased, stabbing him in the shoulder, and he fell on his knees and cried out once again.  
The intolerable pain, now heading back to his chest, forced him to bend back, and he loudly heard Maeve's voice and his thoughts order, ~Don't try to control it. Let IT control YOU!~  
His friends were backing up now, horrified. The red flashed in his eyes again. He held out his hand to them. From their point of view they thought he was reaching out for help, but from his point of view he was obeying the orders of ~'Destroy them. DESTROY THEM,'~ as it ran through his mind once again.  
A surge of power sprang through his entire body. It was unwanted, yet fulfilling. He tried to stop it from coming as it seeped through every bone, but he knew eventually he had to give in. He let it take control. The lust of adrenaline, the unstoppable power---it all took control of him in one simple decision.  
And in one simple decision he knew what he had to do.  
  
His friends felt it for days. They knew he had to do it, but could never fully grasp why. The halls were never quite as full without him, yet everything seemed to be the same in an erie sort of way.  
The Mystic Knights never did figure out what the whole prophecy was. The only information they had were the ones Garrett and Maeve had told them. Tyroone was let free, dipping and diving through the airs above the sea, like the spirits of Maeve and Garrett in the Spirit World, forever battling for freedom.  
  
  
  
Das Ende.  
  
  
  
::WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIT! WAIT JUST A SECOND!::  
Oh, great. It's my evil computer.  
::I can explain everything!::  
You mean . . . you can explain why I can't play any games, go on chats that are worth chatting on, put things I really want on my computer, or why you're so slow?!  
::No . . .::  
*rolls eyes*  
::I mean I can explain every detail of every vision.::  
*sarcastically* Oh, GOODY.  
::*clears electronic throat* Rohan's first vision: Tonnie's obsessed with bright lights getting dimmer. The rushing creek represented life, and it turned red because of the bloody past war. He was feeling cold like he was in a cave because that's where Maeve was hiding at the time he had the vision.  
Garrett's vision: the brown eyes were Maeve's, and she was in the woods when he was having the vision. The reason why he saw the scene of him getting his mystic armor was because Maeve was thinking about the prophecy, which obviously had to do with him.  
Ivar's: falling toward the grass represented Temra's/Maeve's fall. It disappeared in a flash of black because black represented Maeve's life to her.::  
Good. Can we all leave now?  
::I'm not finished!::  
Well when WILL you be finished?! I'm bored!  
::Good! *continues* When Rohan was staring at Maeve in the jail cell and she looked up at him, the bright light was . . . um . . .::  
*sarcastic* Come on, I thought you knew everything.  
::Well . . . it could either be Tonnie's obsession with bright lights again, or it could be . . . uh . . .::  
I'm waaaaaaaaaitiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnng.  
::Or it could be . . . the . . . lightness Maeve felt when she saw her son . . . ?::  
*falls over laughing*  
::What! It was worth a shot!::  
Yeah. *snort* A LONG shot!  
::SHUT UP!! *whacks her with the mouse* Do YOU have any better suggestions?::  
No. Continue.  
::*sigh* Alright. The knife thing. Maeve's former dragon master was a little bit harsh, and that has a connection with how she got the cut on her cheek.::  
No DUH.  
::*raises mouse*::  
*backs off*  
::This next one's my favorite; the one inside the oval. Purple is Maeve's color, and we all know how it blends with red so easily. She was thinking about a Kells/Temra battle (you really gotta give her credit for her gory imagination), and then she started thinking about how in the prophecy Kells and Temra combine in some weird way that not even I'm sure of, so you have to ask Tonnie if you want to know about it.::  
Oh, sure. Name ME the weird one.  
::. . . But you are.::  
*thoughtfully* Oh . . . right . . . I knew that.  
::*rolls eyes* Alrighty. The stone thing. They were things she had collected from around the island, and if she got them all they would help her get her powers back. Obviously she got them all.::  
*lol* What did she have to go to Burger Kings in every location just to collect all four? *rofl!*  
::*WHACK!*::  
*wails*  
::*mutters* Baby. On to Part 4. Don't ask me about that vision Cathbad had about Rohan and Maeve. I think Tonnie was planning on putting the actual scene in the story but it kind of . . . uh . . . didn't---::  
SURPRISE ENDING! I LUV THAT SURPRISE ENDING!  
::Shut . . . UP ALREADY!!! *virtual eye twitching*::  
Lay off the virtual caffine, would ya? You're starting to get a little mad.  
::A . . . LITTLE?!?! *twitch twitch-twitch*::  
So . . . you gonna do Part 5 or not?  
::Yes . . . WHEN YOU QUIT INTERRUPTING EVERY 10 SECONDS!!::  
Fat chance.  
::*gggrrrrr* ~ *scans Part 5* Hm . . .::  
What?  
::Part 5 seems to be pretty self-explanitory.::  
Good. Does that mean we can go now?  
::Uuuuuummmmmmmmmm . . .::  
*taps foot impatientently*  
::. . . I guess.::  
WHOOPEE!! *runs off to celebrate* 


End file.
